It’s fair to say it’s been a scandal-hit 12 months for Strictly Come Dancing, culminating in the show’s hosts quitting in perhaps the biggest shock of them all.
The glitzy BBC One show kicked off the new series in September, with the likes of Vicky Pattison, Alex Kingston and Stefan Dennis taking part.
However, the series so far has been hit with a ton of drama, most recently, this week, when hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman announced they had quit the show. There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes, too, in the run-up to their exit.
Here, ED! takes a look back at the scandals that have hit everyone’s favourite dancing show over the past 12 months…
Wynne Evans’ Strictly controversy
Wynne Evans appeared on Strictly in 2024 – and the singer and presenter had an eventful time on the show. This ended with him stepping back from the live tour at the start of the year.
He left the tour shortly after a video emerged of him making a lewd comment about Strictly co-stars Janette Manrara and Jamie Borthwick. After the scandal, Wynne issued an apology for his words.
In May though, Wynne reportedly launched legal action against tour producers for alleged medical negligence. The 53-year-old Welsh tenor is said to have suffered a double fracture and two torn ligaments after a fall during the Strictly Live tour earlier this year.
However, insiders claimed that instead of receiving proper medical attention, Wynne was bandaged up and told to carry on performing, despite being in “agony”. He is now said to be suing Phil McIntyre Entertainments, the company responsible for the tour, bringing more negative headlines for the series.
Jamie Borthwick’s BBC axe
In April, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick found himself in the headlines following a scandal that apparently saw him brandishing a sex toy backstage on the Strictly tour.
It was reported by The Sun that 30-year-old Jamie, who played Jay Brown on the soap, had been told off by BBC bosses after filming himself waving the sex toy around backstage, along with Go Compare man Wynne Evans.
Holding up the flesh-coloured rubber toy, Jamie is reported as saying: “Look at what he bought me. I opened it up, and he surprised me with this, didn’t he? It’s so funny.”
What’s more, Jamie also found himself in hot water when a recording emerged of him using a slur against disabled people behind the scenes at a Strictly live event. The BBC then suspended Jamie for three months before confirming his exit from the soap.
In a clip obtained by The Sun on Sunday earlier this year, and casting a further cloud over the show, the actor appeared to describe the people of Blackpool as “absolute [bleep]s”.
In his statement regarding the incident, Jamie said: “I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool Week on Strictly.”
Strictly 2025 drugs scandal
Reports of a Strictly Come Dancing drugs scandal – concerning alleged cocaine use – generated headlines in August this year.
The Sun reported that the BBC has launched an investigation into alleged drug use by two Strictly Come Dancing stars. The BBC said it had “clear protocols and policies in place” for dealing with any serious complaints raised.
According to The Sun, the claims of drug use were made in a legal submission to the BBC in March by law firm Russells on behalf of Wynne Evans, a 2024 contestant. Additionally, it was claimed that others have also reported allegations of drug taking on Strictly to the BBC.
In an update surrounding the story, the Metropolitan Police issued a statement to the Mirror. “On Tuesday 12 August, the Metropolitan Police received an allegation about drug-related offences,” they said.
“Police are assessing the information, and further enquiries are taking place to establish whether there is evidence of a criminal offence being committed. We won’t be commenting further at this time.”
Strictly host Tess was alleged to have been “horrified” by the reports at the time.
Thomas Skinner backlash
The news of TV personality Thomas Skinner taking part in Strictly 2025 was also met with criticism by fans when it was announced in August.
Recognised as this year’s most controversial celeb, Thomas has been very open about being a Donald Trump fan. He has been accused of having “flirtations” with Reform UK too.
The Apprentice winner also admitted to cheating on his wife weeks after they tied the knot. Thomas claimed it was a one-off. However, the other woman insisted it was a three-month affair.
What’s more, Thomas ended up in the headlines again when he walked out of the competition’s first press event after allegedly grabbing a journalist’s phone.
However, Thomas’ Strictly journey didn’t last long. He and pro partner Amy Dowden were eliminated in the very first week. Since his departure though, he has continued to hit out at the show, generating more negative headlines for the BBC.
Giovanni Pernice
Another scandal that tarnished Strictly’s reputation was the Giovanni Pernice drama.
In 2023, the Italian pro dancer was paired with Sherlock actor Amanda Abbington, who quit the show due to a disagreement over his training methods and raised concerns over his behaviour.
Following a nine-month investigation, the results of the inquiry were released at the end of September 2024. It saw Giovanni cleared of the most serious claims. These claims included physical aggression. However, the corporation upheld six of the 17 complaints.
Complaints poured in this spring when it was announced that Giovanni wouldn’t be returning as one of this year’s pros.
Tess and Claudia quits Strictly
On Thursday (October 23), Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit the BBC One show, with the presenters sharing a joint statement on social media.
Tess has hosted Strictly since the show’s launch 21 years ago. Claudia joined her in 2014. She previously hosted spin-off show, Strictly: It Takes Two. The pair explained to fans that it “feels the right time” to leave. They also admitted they have “loved working as a duo”.
The BBC reacted to the shock news in a series of emotional statements. Kate Phillips, Chief Content Officer for the BBC, said: “I can’t quite believe I’m saying this. But it’s the end of an era with Tess and Claudia’s decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom.
“They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show. Their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond. They’ve been integral to Strictly’s success over the last 20 years. But I understand why they’ve decided it’s time to hang up the glitter ball and get their weekends back.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday (October 25) at 6:20pm on BBC One.
Read more: Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s next TV move ‘revealed’ following Strictly exit statement
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